Interesting feedback from an antique dealer...

Captain Pre-Capsize · Mar 9, 2011

Stopped at a place yesterday that had been under the same ownership for twelve years. Asked to see some razor stuff behind a locked case and got to visiting with the owner. She remarked there had been a lot more people interested in old razors. The straight edges were mainly being bought up by, "You know, older guys..." which at the age of fifty-one still makes me not an "older guy" in her eyes yet. In my dreams... but I digress.

I asked about the safety razors and she said she regularly get them in from estate sales, puts them on the shelf and they go right out the door. Frankly, her prices were on the high side - no bargains to be had. Then I asked over the time she had been in business what had the trend in safety razor interest been. She said very low until about two years ago and that is when a marked increase in foot traffic and purchases began.

So there you have it from your on-the-beat reporter. Signing off...

maxman · Mar 9, 2011

I have a local antique dealer that I visit here and there.
His prices are OK, but yeah, his stock rotates fast.
I wonder who is buying it. Might be time to visit him and see what's out there.

nrdoty · Mar 9, 2011

Just scored 2 Gillettes and a injector at an antique store a couple weeks back. They had a straight but it was $25, rusty, and had a chip in the blade. It just said "Germany" on the handle. So I passed on it.

I might try and convince my wife we need to go again this weekend and maybe she'll go for it if I pull the "it's for my birthday" card.

Greyfox · Mar 9, 2011

Yep. Not as fun to hunt as it used to be.

touchdowntodd · Mar 9, 2011

here no one seems to buy, i walked in and got my single ring for a very low price, guy told me it had been there 3-4 years...

then he pulled out the 40s OS mug i have and said it had been there 10..

now only if he'd get more stuff

Sledgehammer39 · Mar 9, 2011

I have noticed a few antique shops here are using ebay as refrence point and are pricing there razors along those lines most times higher. I usually walk away from those situations unless it's a rare hard to get razor. One of the antique sales person asked me what I thought of there razors and I said they are nice but a bit too pricey for me.

Slartibartfast · Mar 9, 2011

When I talked to the local antique store owner here he said the "Knife guys" buy every straight razor he gets in and I need to call a few times a week to beat them.

Too much work.

bulldognation · Mar 9, 2011

Captain Pre-Capsize said:
Stopped at a place yesterday that had been under the same ownership for twelve years. Asked to see some razor stuff behind a locked case and got to visiting with the owner. She remarked there had been a lot more people interested in old razors. The straight edges were mainly being bought up by, "You know, older guys..." which at the age of fifty-one still makes me not an "older guy" in her eyes yet. In my dreams... but I digress.

I asked about the safety razors and she said she regularly get them in from estate sales, puts them on the shelf and they go right out the door. Frankly, her prices were on the high side - no bargains to be had. Then I asked over the time she had been in business what had the trend in safety razor interest been. She said very low until about two years ago and that is when a marked increase in foot traffic and purchases began.

So there you have it from your on-the-beat reporter. Signing off...

I have noticed this trend in every single antique shop I visit in my area. No safety razors at all, few straights, most overpriced in my opinion. When I inquire it is always, "I had some but someone came in and bought everything, or as soon as I get some someone buys them" Dammit! I think this type of shaving is become more popular than people realize.

TheVez2 · Mar 9, 2011

I've been in a few antiques stores and when I ask if they have any razors, they say, "No, we put all our razors on eBay." I have one store that gets in a regular rotation of DE and SE. All the rest I have bought all the good stuff and they don't ever get any more in.

maxman · Mar 9, 2011

bulldognation said:
I have noticed this trend in every single antique shop I visit in my area. No safety razors at all, few straights, most overpriced in my opinion. When I inquire it is always, "I had some but someone came in and bought everything, or as soon as I get some someone buys them" Dammit! I think this type of shaving is become more popular than people realize.

That's what happens to me. I dont' know why we think that we're the only one in town that is interested in these things.

Where I live it seems like there is 1 guy who's always just ahead of me.

inspiringK · Mar 9, 2011

I have found a few busted up old worn razors at the local antique store - had a good look at the razors, but I was so put off by their condition that I completely forgot to even look at the price.
The owner did say that he often gets a few DEs and they go out pretty quick. I wonder if it is shavers who buy them out or people who think they can make a buck selling on the Bay?

mental808 · Mar 9, 2011

I've had the same thing happen the last couple times I've visited any antique shops in the area. I've seen a few here and there, but mostly straights. Also the same thing at a flea market I went to a few weeks back. I did pick up a few ever ready brushes that I'm going to try my hand at restoring.

alexseraph · Mar 9, 2011

I found the antique shops around here in NC selling DE razors that are at best spare parts. Sometimes straights where the scales are completely smashed to splinters and the blades badly pitted (or in one case rusted away half way up the width) at the prices I've seen for some refinished ebay pieces ($40-50 and up).

It seems they just check the average prices and ignore condition.

franz · Mar 9, 2011

TheVez2 said:
I've been in a few antiques stores and when I ask if they have any razors, they say, "No, we put all our razors on eBay."

How depressing.

inspiringK said:
The owner did say that he often gets a few DEs and they go out pretty quick. I wonder if it is shavers who buy them out or people who think they can make a buck selling on the Bay?

How about both? We are the enemy. :mellow:

nrdoty · Mar 9, 2011

Slartibartfast said:
When I talked to the local antique store owner here he said the "Knife guys" buy every straight razor he gets in and I need to call a few times a week to beat them....

I know it's their money and they can do what they want; but I hope their not buying up nice vintage straights and hanging them on the wall next to their replica swords. I mean if it can't be restored or is of extreme rarity, then sure. But I would hate to think their are guys with five Wade & Butcher blades hanging on their wall that shave with a "Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power". :angry:

bassmanlarry · Mar 9, 2011

I don't know of anyone else around here that uses a DE or a straight, and most people think I've lost my mind for doing so. So I expected the supply to be plentiful, but so far the selection in the antique shops in my neck of the woods tend to be straights in bad condition or SE and injectors in worse condition. And trying to score something on eBay is so brutal, it makes my BP rise and my heart start skipping.

tvldatsi · Mar 9, 2011

not where I live, they just sit there and sit there and sit there, but I don't want any of them unfortunately. I'm up in the woods though, and the old guys around here either have giant mountain beards or are so rich and out of touch that they likely use electrics, thinking they are in the future :tongue_sm

Omaha-BeenGlockin · Mar 9, 2011

Blame it on P&G/Gillette--I was perfectly happy doing the cart thing until they jacked up their prices and carts became cost prohibitive for disposable underpreforming plastic crap. Then I started my search for something better/cheaper----and that was that.

Slartibartfast · Mar 9, 2011

nrdoty said:
I know it's their money and they can do what they want; but I hope their not buying up nice vintage straights and hanging them on the wall next to their replica swords. I mean if it can't be restored or is of extreme rarity, then sure. But I would hate to think their are guys with five Wade & Butcher blades hanging on their wall that shave with a "Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power".

I think they are buying them, cleaning them up real quick and flipping them on ebay.

He said they even buy ones with chips because "they can sharpen them out".

retiredguns · Mar 9, 2011

There is no doubt that Fleabay has ruined a good old bargain hunt. Folks use it for either a price reference or a sales outlet.

My plan is all the estate sales I have time for this spring and summer.

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Interesting feedback from an antique dealer...

Captain Pre-Capsize

maxman

nrdoty

Greyfox

touchdowntodd

Sledgehammer39

Slartibartfast

bulldognation

TheVez2

maxman

inspiringK

mental808

alexseraph

franz

nrdoty

bassmanlarry

tvldatsi

Omaha-BeenGlockin

Slartibartfast

retiredguns

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